CHARLES I.

393

he thought himself bound, by more sacred ties,than those of policy, or even of honor , to thesupport of that order. His concessions, therefore,on this head, he judged sufficient , when heagreed, that an indulgence should be given totender consciences with regard to ceremonies ;that the bishops should exercise no act of juris-diction or ordination , without the consent andcounsel of such presbyters as should be chosenby the clergy of each diocese; that they shouldreside constantly in their dioceses, and be boundto preach every Sunday; that pluralities be abo-lished ; that abuses in ecclesiastical courts beredressed; and that a hundred thousand poundsbe levied on the bishops' estates and the chapter,lands, for payment of debts contracted by theparliament 5 \ These concessions, though consider-able, gave no satisfaction to the parliamentarycommissioners; and, without abating any thingof their rigor on this head, they proceeded totheir demands with regard to the militia.

The. king’s partisans had all along maintained,that the fears and jealousies of the parliament,after the securities so early and easily given topublic liberty, were either feigned or groundless;and that no human institution could be betterpoised and adjusted, than was now the govern-ment of England. By the abolition of the starchamber and court of high commission , the pre-rogative, they said, has lost all that coercive

" Dugdale, p. 779,78s.

HAP.

lvxi.

I«45.